Sarawak: Modern and Contemporary Performance Practice

• Main Author: Ng, Sie Ai
• Other Authors: Sturman, Janet
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications, Inc. 2019
• Subjects: GN Anthropology; M Music
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/30955/1/Sie-Ai%2C%20NG%20chapter%20for%20SAGE%202019.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/30955/; http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483317731.n628
• Institution: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

The state of Sarawak, located in the north of the island of Borneo, was part of the Sultanate of Brunei until it was gradually ceded to Rajah James Brooke, a British Sea Captain in 1841, when he successfully defeated the pirates who were devastating the region. The Brooke family governed the state until the Japanese Occu-pation in 1945 (World War II) when it became a British colony. In 1963, it joined Singapore, North Borneo, and Malaya to form the Federation of Malaysia. This entry focuses on music of the native Sarawak population. It does not discuss music development among the Malays and Chinese groups, which make up 45% of the 3.9 million people, including 29 diverse ethnic groups, in Sarawak. Modern and contemporary performance practice in Sarawak is defined by music bearing elements of fusion, experimental, contemporary, ethnic fu-sion, popular, and avant-garde. This musical style is presented by bands whose signature music combines traditional acoustic and Western electric instruments